CMU CENTRAL MICHIGAN UNIVERSITY Department of Teacher Edueation & Professional Development 421 Education and Human Services ‘Mt Pleasant, MI 48859 989-714-3975 December 28, 2014 ‘To whom it may concern: Thave been asked to write a letter of recommendation for Freddie Parker. I consider it an honor to have been asked and a privilege to write this letter. Thave known Ms. Parker since February, 2014, when she interviewed for student teaching, through Central Michigan University. At Central Michigan University, a co-curricular seminar class accompanies student teaching. As the professor who taught Ms. Parker’s seminar class, 1 had the opportunity to work closely with her in a small college classroom setting, in which discussion was a major part of the classroom activity. Ms. Parker was punctual and responsible about attendance and turning in assignments. She made valuable contributions to class discussions, asking pertinent questions and making cogent observations about topics of interest to the class, and also about events in her own and others’ classrooms. She worked well in small groups, fulfilling both her individual responsibility and her contribution to group goals, Ms, Parker reflected thoughtfully on reading assignments and ‘on occurrences and events in her classroom and on those reported by others. Though I did not observe her in her student teaching classroom, I worked closely with the coordinator who did, Dr. Abalo Adewui. He communicated that he found Mrs. Parker to be a talented teacher, a conclusion confirmed by her cooperating teacher, who also repeatedly stated so in weekly evaluations. Both found Ms. Parker to be diligent and willing to assume responsibility, One-on-one conversations with Freddie indicated that part of her success in the classroom was no doubt due to prior experiences she had teaching young people at her church as well as working with kids at church camp. She thus already had a certain degree of familiarity with young people’s behavior, including their behavior in groups. I also remember from conversations with Freddie that she enjoys activities as diverse as performing in musical theatre and playingtennis in her spare time. She thus has interests outside the classroom that help to make her a well-rounded person, In the time I've known Freddie Parker, she has proven to be friendly, polite, punctual, honest, trustworthy, responsible, diligent, and intelligent. She will prove to be an asset to the district that hires her, and parents will be pleased that she is their child’s teacher Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. As I am an off-campus based professor, I’m supplying my home address and telephone number below. Sincerely, Sedat eMbeusT~ Howard Parkhurst, Associate Professor Central Michigan University 2323 South East Isabella County Line Road Shepherd, Michigan 48883 (989) 828-5603 (Landline) (989) 560-2991 (Cell Phone) parkhi hb@emich.edu